UPDATE: The National Weather Service has lifted the tsunami advisory for San Diego County.
REGION — A powerful earthquake measuring a magnitude 8.7 off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula has prompted a tsunami watch for the entirety of California’s coast, stretching to the Mexico border, and a tsunami advisory for the San Diego County coastline.
According to the National Tsunami Warning Center, a watch is issued as advance notice to areas that could potentially be impacted by a tsunami “at a later time.”
The center issued a list of potential start times for tsunami activity – if it occurs at all – across the state, including roughly 1:05 a.m. Wednesday for Los Angeles Harbor, 1:10 a.m. for Newport Beach and 1:15 a.m. for Oceanside and La Jolla.
“Watch areas may be upgraded to a warning or advisory status, or canceled, based on new information,” according to a statement from the center.
The status was later upgraded to a tsunami advisory for the San Diego County coastline.
Under an advisory, strong currents and/or waves could be dangerous if in or near the water. People are recommended to stay out of the water, away from beaches and out of waterways.
According to Oceanside city officials, wave activity of 1 to 3 feet above the tide level is expected to reach the area around 1 a.m., with the most likely impact being less than a foot.
“The Oceanside Fire Department Marine Safety Unit will continue monitoring ocean conditions overnight,” reads a post on the City of Oceanside’s Facebook page.
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services stated that it is “monitoring any potential impacts to the state” from the quake and tsunami watch.
The quake struck at about 4:25 p.m. Aftershocks measuring magnitudes of 6.9 and 6.3 were recorded over the ensuing hour after the original temblor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
More serious tsunami warnings were issued for Hawaii and the Alaska coast in response to the quake.
Samantha Nelson contributed to this report.
